California Trip: Monday

Our last day... *sniff* We went to the park in the morning, by request. We did lots of laundry. We had lunch at the house, and the kids played out in the yard (where it was sunny and about, oh, 50-60 degrees warmer than it was at our house! And with no snow!). Eventually, the kids wanted to go swimming, so I got them into their suits and we walked down to the pool. Of course, it's winter in California (brr!) and the pool wasn't heated, so we were the only ones there. The big pool was a little chilly, but I thought it was doable. Niko, after getting all the way in, decided that it was too cold. So, just like at Theia's apartment, the kids ended up swimming in the hot tub. They liked it, although Maya was upset that I hadn't brought her snorkeling gear (my bad). Mostly, I think she was tired from a very busy week. She stomped and growled at me the entire way back to the house. Fun times!

Back at the house, we did another load of laundry (swimwear), and I started packing. The kids watched "Rise of the Guardians," which we had brought with us. At dinner time, we went and got In-N-Out one more time, just because! And then it was time to head to the airport.

On the way there, Maya kept saying that she was sooooo tired, and that she just wanted to go to sleep. Cue panic! I needed to get myself and both kids checked in and through security, and I REALLY needed them to be able to walk! Luckily, they were troopers. We made it through security, and they had enough energy left to go buy some bottled water. And then... they crashed. On me. Like so:

I let them sleep. They were exhausted, and it was already hours past their bedtime (the flight didn't leave until 10:15pm). Honestly, I was having a tough time keeping my own eyes open... we were wiped out. But when it was time for us to board the plane, I needed to wake them up. Niko was a little grumpy, but was able to walk. Maya simply would NOT wake up (she's our deep-sleeping child, in case you couldn't tell). I had to carry her, her backpack, my backpack, and my purse, all while shepherding a half-asleep Niko. The kind people parted like the Red Sea and let us get on the plane without waiting in the long line. Bless them all! I think they could see that I had my hands full!!!

The moment we got settled on the plane, both kids were out cold again. And they stayed that way until we landed in Washington, DC. I was a little nervous as to how our layover would go, since they were both SOUND ASLEEP when we landed. But, again, they were troopers. We had to change terminals, which involved a train ride and a LOT of walking, but they did it without too much complaining. We ate some breakfast, and they were soon back to their normal, chatty selves.

Our final flight (Washington, DC to Providence) was only an hour long, and it was a small plane. Kind of fun, although we felt every bump imaginable! Gus was there waiting for us in the baggage claim area, and our bags came out on the conveyor belt just minutes later. We got home in time to eat lunch and get Niko on the bus to school. Yes, he went! And he was fine. We were all exhausted, but went to bed at our "normal" bedtimes that night. And since then, we've been back on track! It was an awesome vacation, and I'm so glad we were able to make it work, even if it was a jam-packed week. Until next time, California!

California Trip: Sunday

Sunday started early... around 6:15, when the boys (Colton and Niko) were wide awake. Grant got up shortly thereafter, followed by me. Maya refused to get up because she wasn't done sleeping (I LOVE HER!!!). She and Riley both slept until almost 7. We all enjoyed a breakfast of Snickerdoodle, which is basically a coffee cake that Grant and I grew up with. However, I've never made it for my kids! I don't even know why not! They loved it, though, so maybe I need to dig out that recipe and get on it (I'd honestly forgotten about it). Snickerdoodle is awesome!

After breakfast, we got dressed and played some more. Maya and Colton played "Red Light, Green Light" together, and it was hilarious!!

Eventually, though, it was time to be on our way. I had Big Plans! So we got in the car, called my Aunt Dana, and drove down to... UCLA!!!!! Where it all began! I hadn't been back in YEARS... Before kids, at least. It was probably closer to ten years. And it was a short visit, but it felt really great to be "home" again! Dana, Rob, and my cousin Nathaniel met up with us at the Bruin statue, and we walked the campus. It has changed SO MUCH. But it really just felt GOOD to be there again. So many great memories! I was a little sad that the dorm area was so different, though. They've basically doubled the number of buildings in the same space as before! It was surreal! Anyway, we walked around, had lunch at the student union, and bought t-shirts at the store. We even got to see Rob's office (the kids had "office hours" with him, haha!). It really was like coming home again. sigh. Happy, happy!

Eventually, we got back on the road and navigated the fun SoCal freeways to get back to my parents' house in time for dinner. The kids ate, showered, and promptly fell asleep in their beds. Success!

California Trip: Saturday

Saturday morning, I was up bright and early (again!) so that I could pick the kids up in Orange County on the way up to my brother's house. They were sad to say goodbye to the Greek branch of the family, but they perked up at the thought of spending time with their cousins. Including, of course, their newest cousin, who they hadn't even met (neither had I!!). We were anxious to get there!

Once we got there, Niko, Maya, and Colton played together like old buddies. I guess the occasional Skype session helps, because nobody went into "shy mode." Riley was absolutely adorable! She just started crawling, so she couldn't really hang with the big kids, but I got lots of baby snuggles. Cutest. Niece. EVER! I seriously wanted to steal her. :)

I also, of course, had to get the group shot for the grandparents!

The rest of the time, we just hung out together! The kids had a great time!

We had Grant's special homemade pizza for dinner, and then got the kids to bed. All three of the big kids slept in the same room. And they actually SLEPT! A miracle!! Grant read them bedtime stories on the bottom bunk of Colton's bed. There was no way he could squeeze in there, haha!

After they were asleep, we watched a screening copy of "Dallas Buyers Club," which was pretty good. We also ate It's-Its ice cream sandwiches, which are hard to find in parts of California and are near impossible to get anywhere else. So, SO good!! And Miss Riley woke up briefly right after I got in bed, but slept the rest of the night. Those kids were all worn out!

California Trip: Thursday and Friday

These were the days of the trip where it was just me with my parents, while the kids were up in Orange County. On Thursday, we had a busy day! Mom and Dad took me (early) birthday shopping at the mall. I picked out a really cool parka (on sale for $30! Buying winter clothing in California is awesome!). I also got a shirt and some shoes. After that, we went out to lunch at the Yard House (which, incidentally, no longer serves yard-sized beers. Interesting!). Then we went to go to the movies, but we had some time to kill... so we walked around the shopping center where the theater was located, and went inside of Hobby Lobby. Now, I had never been in one before. And politics aside... HOLY COW THAT PLACE IS AWESOME! I could see blowing an entire paycheck in there! It seemed to go for miles, with every sort of thing I've ever wanted or needed all in one place. Amazing. Sadly, the nearest one to us here is 36 miles away (I checked!). All I bought was a $2 heart-shaped wire wreath frame. But really, there was SO much. Especially in terms of wall decor. Incredible!

Eventually, though, it was time for the movie. So we went to watch "Anchorman 2," which my mom grudgingly agreed to. We got some good laughs out of it!

Meanwhile, in Orange County... I don't know precise details about what the kids did, but Yiayia did text me several pictures like this in the afternoon. They went to Theia's apartment and went swimming in the hot tub (the pool was too cold). It's safe to assume that they were having a great time!

------------------------------------- Friday morning was more of the same. We took care of some banking things that could only be done with me present. We went for a long walk up to the radio tower at the edge of the neighborhood. We had an awesome view!

Later, we went out to lunch at a really excellent Mexican restaurant. Ohhhh, Mexican food! I do love living in Central Massachusetts, but Mexican food here (the REAL stuff) is nonexistent. sigh. This was so good! And we (Dad and I) had margaritas. We celebrated National Margarita Day one day early!

Back at the ranch, Mom sewed a cape to go with Maya's super awesome birthday present that I had picked up on one of our shopping trips (an Elsa dress from the movie "Frozen." Don't tell her!!!! She is going to flip!!). And I packed for the next segment of our trip, where we were headed up to my brother's house for most of the weekend. Dad picked up "The Heat" from RedBox, and we had a lovely time!

Meanwhile in Orange County (again! hehe!)... I don't know the details. But somewhere during their visit, the kids got to see Niko's godparents, which I was very thankful for! They also went to the movies-- Maya saw "Frozen" (again!) with Theia, while Niko went to see "The Lego Movie" with Yiayia and Papou. They also went to the beach and the park. I hope Yiayia doesn't mind that I'm sharing some of her pictures, but they were adorable!

California Trip: Wednesday

Wednesday morning, the kids actually slept in a little bit. Niko was up at 6, and Maya got up around 6:30. Not too shabby, given the time change and all! Thankfully, my dad gets up early, so he kept them company until I came out (also around 6:30... I never did fully adjust to the time change on this trip!).

After breakfast, we all walked down the road to the neighborhood park. The weather was lovely! As our swing set is currently buried in the snow, the kids were were excited to swing and climb and slide to their hearts' content! Niko demonstrated his swinging mastery, and played some baseball with Grandpa on the grass. Another little boy at the park approached Maya and offered her a plastic crystal "jewel," which she silently accepted by opening up her pocket and nodding her head. Silly kids!

Back at the house, we did laundry and got the kids packed to go spend a few days with Yiayia and Papou. Mom and I went to get In-N-Out for lunch. Maya only recently discovered her love for cheeseburgers, and I wanted her to have one! She approved! (Niko had a hot dog)

Shortly after that, Yiayia arrived to pick the kids up and take them back to her house for a few days! She even brought them their favorite vanilla bean scones from Starbucks. And, just like that, I was kid-free. It was weird! We hung out at the house. I edited pictures. We drank wine. I repeat: weird. I am so used to having my kids with me 24/7. I almost didn't know what to do with myself!!

California Trip: Tuesday

Tuesday morning dawned bright and early. Despite going to bed well after midnight, both kids were up and ready to go at a quarter to six. Totally typical behavior for them, with the time change and all, but it was sort of painful for me! However, since we were all up and ready to go so early, we figured we might as well go to Knott's Berry Farm. We had toyed with the idea, but wanted to wait and see how the kids were feeling before committing to the plan. And they seemed up to it! So off we went. We left so early that we actually arrived before the park opened, and had to kill time by getting gas. I guess that's a perk to having children who wake up so darn early????

Anyway, we had a great time! The kids, especially Maya, were completely loopy because of their late night and early morning. But they had fun! I'd considered taking them to Disneyland, but it is SO expensive, and I wasn't sure how they would react (Niko is TERRIFIED of people in costume. Seriously.). Knott's was MUCH cheaper, and there were NO LINES. The place was practically empty! It was awesome!

We hung out mostly in the Camp Snoopy area, though my dad and I managed to squeeze in one "real" roller coaster. We also took Maya on the log ride later on, because she was begging to go on it. We tried to convince Niko to join us, and it's a good thing he refused-- he would have been freaked out by all the animatronic lumberjacks/animals and all the loud noises. Seriously, he would NOT have been a fan. At all. Here's a link to a YouTube video someone made of the ride. Yeah. He would've tried to climb out of the log!!

Without further ado... pictures!! I'd say they are pretty self-explanatory!

Mid-afternoon, the kids were just wiped. So we headed back to the house, and worked to keep them awake until their real bedtime (when they went to sleep immediately! they were SO tired!). I was pretty tired, too. I headed to bed early, planning to read for a bit before falling asleep... only to discover that my Kindle was gone. WAAAAH!!!! As soon as I discovered it was missing, I knew I had left it on the plane. And I was very, very sad. I filled out a "Left On Board" form on the United website, but it's been a week already... I think it's gone. It was a good old Kindle Keyboard, and I certainly got a lot of use out of it. I've ordered its replacement, which should be here this week. RIP, friend. (seriously... I was SO SAD. I love my Kindle!)

Going to California

So, the kids and I thawed out this past week... in California! Both kids had the week off from school, and I thought it would be a perfect time to escape the tundra for some warmer weather and family time in good old Southern California. We woke up at 2:30AM last Monday morning and headed to the Providence airport for our flight-- to San Diego via Washington DC. The kids were so excited, even with the early wake-up call!

Gus dropped us off at the curb, and we were all set to go! Until, that is, I learned that the flight had been canceled. My eyes filled with tears as the guy behind the counter told me he could re-book us on a flight for Wednesday, losing over two days of our already-short vacation. No. Way. Not happening. I told him to keep looking. Finally, after suggesting other equally-ludicrous things (like driving nearly 4 hours to the Newark airport right that minute!), he was able to find seats for us on a direct flight from Boston to Los Angeles, leaving later that day.

Luckily, I had called Gus as soon as I'd heard the bad news, and he was parked near the airport, waiting for me to call him back. He circled back quickly, and we headed back home. I cried (this will be a theme of the day-- just wait!). I was so massively disappointed. In the end, we only lost about half a day, but I wanted to maximize our time with our families! And I was so nervous that the flight later that day would be canceled, too. And it was just so early in the morning, and we were all tired. We drove back home and went back to sleep for a few more hours! Or rather, most of us did. Niko announced that he was Not Tired, and I told him to entertain himself while we slept. And he did!

I wish I could say that the evening flight went off without a hitch, but it didn't. Because we were last-minute additions to the flight, our seats were not together. The guy I'd spoken to that morning said it was not an issue, and that they wouldn't let the kids be separated from me. I just needed to talk to someone at the gate before boarding. So, I did just that. I was at the desk when it opened, and the man working there seemed understanding. But the flight was full, and he was having a very tough time getting a third seat for us. He kept having to call people up to the desk and ask them if they'd be willing to switch. That's how he got the first two seats together. Then I heard him call up this older man, and ask him if he'd be willing to move. He said, and I quote, "Nope, I'm good!" and walked off to board the plan. And... that was that. Most people were already on the plane, and the guy told me that he'd gotten me two seats, but that I'd have to negotiate the third one for myself once we got on board. GREAT. Exactly what I wanted to do!

So the kids and I walk onto the plane, and locate the two seats that were together. An aisle and a middle seat. And you can guess who was sitting in the window seat... I already knew he'd said no to the workers so rudely, but I had to ask if he'd be willing to move. It would have been so easy. Nope. He informed me that he'd "paid good money" for that seat, and that he planned to sit there. (Mind you, I had ALSO paid for three seats together, including a window, but that was on the flight-that-didn't-happen.) Anyway, he was just awful. I couldn't help it-- I started to cry. Big, ugly cry! It had been a long day, and I couldn't hold it in. And shortly after that, the two other passengers seated near my single seat volunteered to go sit with the jerk himself, allowing me to be with my babies. Which, of course, caused me to cry even more. I couldn't stop! The dam had burst, and all the stress of the day just came pouring out. I was woefully unprepared in the tissue department!

Anyway... the rest of the trip was fine. The kids got a few hours of sleep, and our bags arrived without issue at LAX. By the time we got to my parents' house, it was midnight Pacific time-- so 3am for us! It had been a physically and emotionally draining day.

The rest of the trip was much better, and I will post about it over the next few days. Prepare for tons of pictures! It's just too much for one post. :)

Happy Blogiversary to Me! :)

I've got babies on the brain lately. I just found out a very good old friend is pregnant, and it made me think of way back when I first learned I was pregnant with Niko after months and months of trying. And it was on February 12th, 2007 that I finally saw a second line on a pregnancy test. I remember it so vividly. It was super early in the morning, and I forced myself to turn off the light and rest while I waited for the "results." Gus was in the shower, and I didn't tell him until after work that day. I did, however, tell the cat and the bird! haha!

Anyway... I wrote my very first blog post the next day, on February 13th. Seven years ago today! I meant to blog to just keep a record of my pregnancy, but then it was a great way to share baby pictures... and then I was pregnant again... and I've never gotten to a point where I've felt like I should stop. So, I won't. Not yet, anyway. I've definitely slowed down, as the kids (and life) have sped up. But I still like blogging about my babies, who really aren't babies anymore. sigh...

And yes, this baby factory is most definitely CLOSED! I will gladly enjoy other peoples' babies for short periods, while I enjoy the independence and freedom that have come with having slightly older kids. It is so nice having kids who can climb into/out of the car on their own, and one who can even buckle himself in. They can wipe their own noses and rear ends, dress themselves, brush their own teeth, entertain themselves in the morning without waking us up, and one can even take showers all by himself. It's taken a long time to get to this point, but I plan to relish it!! Times have certainly changed since seven years ago!

And, since I am feeling nostalgic... How about some pictures? Followed by a recent one. Happy Valentine's Day (tomorrow)!

Evolution of a Kitchen

Yesterday was the moment I'd been waiting for preeeeetty much ever since we bought the house. When we bought this place, we could both see the potential in it. This house is old and full of character, and could one day be something truly special. But it was also old. And full of the BAD kind of character, too. Take the kitchen. It was... lovely.

I actually took those pictures the very first time we saw the house. The cabinets were in good shape, but they sort of clashed with the floor. And the walls. And then there were the counters... dated laminate that was a)ugly, and b) in terrible condition. But I don't know... Gus and I could see what it would become, with some time, money, and elbow grease. We were in love with the house and what it could be!

The first change came when I painted the walls. That happened fairly early on-- paint is cheap, and it was cold outside! I spent a lot of our first winter here painting walls. Two years later, I am still not done. It never ends!

Next, we replaced our dishwasher. We knew we wanted to get rid of all the white appliances and replace them with stainless, but the dishwasher started leaking and pushed us into action. And really, seeing that nice new appliance motivated us to buy others. Soon we had purchased a new refrigerator, freestanding range, and hood. But then these lovely appliances made the cabinets looks so much worse! I had sworn that I would never, ever paint kitchen cabinets again... but then I did. I knew what I was doing this time, though, and did a much better job. But then, of course, we needed cabinet hardware. Have you ever read "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie..."? Yeah. The same concept applies to home improvement projects. It never ends, really. Still, at that point, things were looking a lot better!

However, no matter what we did, the counters were still ugly. It was nice, in a way... I didn't worry about wrecking them, that's for sure! They were cut, burnt, and just generally awful. I let the kids color/paint/make messes on them with reckless abandon (maybe because I subconsciously hoped they would completely destroy them and I would get new ones?? haha). But the truth is, they were reeeeally ugly. And I spend a lot of time in the kitchen-- it is truly the hub of our house (literally and figuratively). And every day, I thought, "Wow, these are ugly. One day..."

Then, a few weeks ago, we got our check back from our childcare flex-spending account (preschool). That's the money we always forget about until it's here. And it was a nice sum! Nice enough that I suggested going to look at new counters, and Gus agreed. We had actually thought we might get new (much nicer) laminate counters. I am not a snob... I just wanted them to look nice, but didn't really care what they were made of. As it turned out, the counters we wanted ended up being very comparable in price to granite. And, well, granite trumps laminate pretty much every day of the week. And so we went for it!!!

The installers came yesterday. I am in love. Really, it is just so amazing!!

Close-up of the sink (and a better pic of the granite... it's called San Gabriel Black):

One of the best parts? We had them extend the kitchen island on two sides, so now we have seating for four people (possibly five). I love the bigger work area, but also love that we can all sit there together and eat breakfast!

Anyway, we are so, so happy with how our kitchen is turning out. Two years in, and it's looking great! And today, I just ordered a bunch of Bianco Carrara marble tiles for the backsplash. It should look something like this, which will be AWESOME!

Anyway, that's the biggest news around here. Snowstorm Nika brought us all a much-needed snow day today, and we never changed out of our pajamas! Life is good! :)

Three Eggs a Day!

That's where we're at! WOOHOO! All three of the older chickens are officially laying eggs now! Crispy beat them by a few weeks, but then Hanky and Leia started within a day or so of each other. Hanky lays pretty brown eggs, and Leia's are green just like her sister's (of the four chickens, only Leia and Crispy are true biological sisters, hatched at the same time from the same parents). So, so exciting!! Barbie is still too young to lay, but she will lay brown eggs like Hanky's, restoring balance to the force!

Anyway, the chickens have been taking turns in the nesting boxes, squawking loudly and letting us know when they are working on an egg (poor chickens!). It is such fun to open the nesting box to find an egg, or two, or three just sitting there! Even Crispy has finally started making use of the nesting box, as opposed to jumping the fence and looking for her cardboard box. Which I now realize I never shared. She was laying her eggs in an Amazon box on our side porch, haha!!

As of today, though, Crispy can no longer jump the fence, even if she wants to. Because Gus spent most of the morning working on the fencing out there, and it is now next to impossible for them to escape. Sorry, chickens!

Anyway, we are now getting three eggs a day from our girls, and they are awesome! I even found this cute basket for them at HomeGoods yesterday! I love being able to see them, and fresh eggs do NOT have to be refrigerated (because they are not "powerwashed," like commercial eggs... I rub them clean with a dry cloth when we first gather them, then wash with soap and water before using them). Don't they look cool?

Meanwhile... our newly-laying chickens seemed to have also undergone a collective personality change. They are more mellow. Perhaps you would be, too, if you birthed a giant egg every day! They don't really pick on Barbie anymore, which is HUGE progress! Poor Barbie had been spending the nights in a cage in our garage, because we were afraid that the others (especially Leia) would hurt her/kick her out of the coop in arctic temperatures. She spent many of her days NEXT to the other chickens, but separated from them by chicken wire for her own protection. The past few days, she's been in there with them all day without issue. And last night, she slept with them in the coop. HALLELUJAH! It was a success! She is still definitely the lowest chicken in the pecking order, but it's great that they are finally getting along. And really, they have all become much more friendly/less skittish, running over to us the minute we go outside. I never in a million years thought I would say this, but I really enjoy the chickens. As long as they stay off of the deck!!!!!

In other news... we bought a gorgeous new faucet today, to go with our new counters and sink which are being installed on Tuesday. Our new entertainment center arrived on Thursday, and part of a table came today (with more furniture scheduled to arrive on Monday). Busy busy!!